Paper-fastener.



'l. RITTENHOUSB.

PAPER FASTENER.

APPLICATiON man APR. 2a. 1913.

Patented July 17, 1917.

q J J imme/who'll IRVIN RITTENHOUSE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA, A SSIGNOR TO HORACE F. CLARK, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA.

rarnn-ras'rnnnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 1917.

Originai application filed March 10, 1910, Serial No. 548,339. Dividedand this application filed. April 28,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TRVIN RITTENHOUsE, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented newand useful Improvements in Paper-Fasteners, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in paper fasteners v and moreparticularly to that type of paper fasteners described in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 548,339, filed March 10, 1910, of whichthisapplication is a division.

The object of this inventionis to provide. a fastener consisting of abase member, a pliable fastening strip operatively associated with saidbase member, and a protecting plate cooperating with said pliablefastening strip.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a base member ofsuch a character that a substantially flat surface will be presented tothe bottom sheet of the plurality of papers desired to be secured by thefastener. Onedisadvantage of the former base member shown and describedin my Patent Number 920,393, lies in the fact that a con tinuous bindingsurface is not presented to the lowermost sheet of the papers secured bythe .fastener, so that there is a liability of any one or a number ofthe papers becoming loosened from the fastener, thereby destroying thebinding of the file. The purpose 'of this invention is to obviate thisdifficulty and at the same time, provide a simple and eflicient meansfor retaining the fastening strip in operative association with the basemember and also to provide means for properly guiding the fasteningstrip into correct alinement with the base member during the operationof its insertion into the base member as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

To this and other ends the invention consists in the construction,arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter morefully described in a preferred form, reference now being had to theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan v1ew of the base member showing the fasteningstrip in operative association therewith;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the base member to illustrate the meansfor retaining Serial No. 764,168.

the fastening strip in its operative position on the said member;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4.- is a view partly in section showing the complete fastenersecuring a bundle of papers.

As shown in the drawing, the basemember 1 consists of an oblong strip ofmetal, having a plurality of punched-in portions 2, arranged on eachside of its longitudinal center line. These punched-in portions havetheir free ends 3 inclined inwardly toward the said longitudinal centerline of the base member to provide a seat 4 on which rests the fasteningstrip 5 when in its operative position on the base memberj The fasteningstrip consists of an elongated member, preferably constructed of pliablemetal, and of a length considerably greater than the base-member 1, inorder to provide extensions (Sand 7, which, when properly assembled, ashereinafter fully set forth, form a pair of prongs adapted to pierce thepapers desired to be secured by the fastener.

For the purpose of binding the plurality of papers on the other side ofthe file, there is provided a protecting plate 8 having openings 9 and10 spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the length of saidbase member, which openings are designed for the reception of theextensions 6 and 7 of the base member 1. Between the inner edges of theopenings 9 and 10 is a raised portion 11 which serves to strengthen theprotecting plate and at the same time provides off-sets at the points 9and 10, whereby the extensions 6 and 7 may be properly guided into therespective pin receiving openings in the protecting plate. That portionof the said plate between the outer edge of the openings and the edge ofthe plate is beveled slightly, to provide a gripping surface forengagement with the papers at these points respectively. At the sametime, a guide is formed, whereby the extensions may be bent downwardinto intimate contact with the papers, and thus obviate the disadvantageof the prongs sticking up and mutilating contacting objects.

In operation, the fastening strip is inserted into the space between theunder surface of the base member and the seat formed by the punched inportions 2 on each side of the longitudinal center line of the basemember, until the extensions 6 and 7 are equal in their respectivedistances from the pposite edges of the base member. These extensionsare then bent upwardly over the base member until they are insubstantially a vertical position. The papers are then arranged one byone over the fastener, the up standing extensions forming means forpiercing the papers. If desired, however, the papers may be previouslypunched, in

any suitable manner, in which case, it will only be necessary to msertthe extenslons 1 contact with the uppermost sheet of the file.

As will be noted, the advantage of this form of base member, lies in thefact that with the l-exception of the punched-in portions, the entireflat surface of the base member is. presented to the lowermost sheet ofpaper, thereby securing a perfect binding contact at every point on thebase member.

'Another advantage lies in the fact that the longitudinal punched-outportions form, in

'- effect, strengthening ribs, thus greatly incre sing the transversetensile strength .of

the base member, and thereby greatly reducing the .danger of the basemember becoming bent in a direction transverse to its longitudinal axis.By presenting a flat surface to theifile, the disadvantage of aspringing outward at the center of the base member, while the free endsof the 'fasteningstrip are being bent back and forth during theoperation of lnsertlng additional sheets to the file or removing thesame therefrom, 1s entirely obviated and the binding action of the basemember upon the lowermost sheet is secured at all times.

What is claimed is:

1. A paper fastener comprising a base member having struck out parallelportions underlying the base and forming crotched guideways, the struckout portions having their inner ends spaced from each other and theirouter ends spaced from the ends of the base, and a pin fastener adaptedto have one face bear flush against the end surface of the base memberwhen its side edges engage the crotches of the struck out portions, thepin fastener being arranged to engage the ends of the base member whenbent up.

2. A paper fastener comprising a base member having two sets of struckout parallel portions underlying the base and forming two crotchedguideways, the struck out portions having their inner ends spaced aconsiderable distance from each other and their outer ends spaced fromthe ends of the base, and a pin fastener formed of fiat metal having itsface bearing flush against the end surface of the base member and itslower face and edges engaging the struck out portion and adapted to bebent upwardly and engage the ends of the base.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence oftwo'subscribing witnesses.

, IRVIN RITTENHOUSE.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. CRAWFORD, EDWARD S. WHITE.

(ta lies of this-patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, e WashingtomD. G.

